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RE: starship-design: solar sail
Curtis,
Sorry, using the simple periscope arrangement you describe, net thrust
equals zero.
> -----Original Message-----
> Near arrival, the shape changes (requiring the services of the Mad
> Topologist) to something more like a half-folded umbrella, with a middle
> concentric section of the sail being removed, and the inner and outer
> concentric sail sections forming a mirror system which sends the laser
> beam on ahead of you, hopefully providing some reverse pressure. Think
> of a simple periscope to envision the ray paths.
Lee Parker